By: Ryan Melson (@RyanMelson1)
The wait is over: meaningful baseball is officially back. The Chicago Cubs will take the field in Miami today at 11:40 AM to begin a journey that will hopefully end with Cub fans celebrating on Addison and Clark in November. Unlike going into the 2017 season, the Cubs do not have a target on their back as World Series Champions. In a sense, the Cubs are going under the radar into this 2018 season. Do no get me wrong, everyone knows how good the Cubs are. But, the Cubs are not getting as much love as the Astros, Dodgers, or the Yankees. The Cubs are considered to be as good as those teams, but the national hype seems to be more on those three teams than the Cubs. The regular season is a marathon, not a sprint. While I think you will see many similarities between this 2018 team and the 2016 Cubs team, there will be moments where this team struggles. How do I know this? No team in Major League Baseball history has ever gone a season without struggles. With that being said, when this team struggles, it will not be for long. There is way too much depth on this roster to struggle for prolonged periods of time. The coaching staff is way too good to be beaten on a daily basis by the opposing teams’ coaching staff. And the front office is one of, if not, the best in the game. What should we expect from this Cubs team this season? While I am trying to be reasonable about this, there is no reason not to think this team will have a major season. Is it World Series or bust? Most likely, yes. We can enjoy seasons where the Cubs are very good, like last year. However, this team is so talented that anything short of a World Series Championship would be disheartening. With all of this being said, sit back and enjoy all of the memorable moments this regular season will bring. Enjoy this with your family, with your friends, and all of the Cubs fans out there. The Cubs will be relevant in October, but let’s enjoy this 162 game process first. Individual predictions: Regular Season Wins: 98 Team MVP: Willson Contreras National League MVP: Kyle Schwarber Most Improved Hitter: Jason Heyward National League Cy Young: Yu Darvish Most Improved Pitcher: Tyler Chatwood Division and Wild Card Winners: NL Central: Chicago Cubs NL West: Los Angeles Dodgers NL East: Washington Nationals NL Wild Cards: Arizona Diamondbacks, New York Mets AL Central: Cleveland Indians AL West: Houston Astros AL East: New York Yankees AL Wild Cards: Boston Red Sox, Anaheim Angels
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By: Ryan Melson (@RyanMelson1)
Here are the quick highlights from the weekend in Cubs land. 1) Bad Boys Of Cubs Podcasting. If you have not listened yet, we did our first Cubs Live Podcast. Right now, the podcast can be heard on Sound Cloud (https://soundcloud.com/user-95300172/32418-cubs-live-podcast-hosted-by-kyle-malzhan-along-side-ryan-melson-mark-talarico). In the future, you will be able to hear it on iTunes. We will keep you updated with the details. The first podcast was a lot of fun, and feel free to submit questions you might have for the future podcasts. We plan on doing more routine podcasts on a weekly basis during the season. Saturday Versus the Mariners 2) Vic’s The Back-Up Catcher. Vic Caratini solidified a spot on the Cubs 25 man roster. Chris Gimenez will report to Iowa to begin the season and the Cubs have him under contract until June 1st. This was a very good move by the Cubs because they are applauding Caratini’s hard work and progress that he has made. If Caratini struggles up until June 1st, look for the Cubs to bring Gimenez up and send Caratini back to Iowa for more development. Overall, the back-up catcher is not going to get much playing time with Willson getting the majority of catching time. 3) Ian The Great. Ian Happ blasted his seventh homerun of the spring, after he hit a leadoff homer against Felix Hernandez. 4) Eddie Money. Eddie Butler really had a solid start against the Mariners. He pitched five innings, allowed four hits, and two earned runs. This start probably cemented Butler’s spot in the Cubs bullpen to start the season. 5) Mills First Spring Struggle. After bragging about Alec Mills all spring, he had his worst outing of the against the Mariners. I think Mills will bounce back and be a player the Cubs could rely on in September when rosters expand. Versus the Rockies 6) Our Captain. Anthony Rizzo cranked his third homerun of the spring. Rizz is ready for the regular season to start, as are all of us. 7) Monty Time. Mike Montgomery was particularly sharp in this start against the Rockies. I think he is going to have a major year out of the bullpen. I think he is a poor man’s Andrew Miller, which means he is an extremely valuable pitcher in any bullpen throughout the league. 8) Strop Is Ready. Pedro Strop was lights out and looks ready to roll for the season. 9) Another Intriguing Southpaw. Kyle Ryan has come out of nowhere and pitched a phenomenal spring. Ryan is a left handed relief pitcher who has dominated this spring, pitching ten innings and having a 1.80 ERA. I am a fan of the Cubs keeping Kyle Ryan to stay in the bullpen over Eddie Butler. I like Butler, but I do not think he will be a good fit coming out of the bullpen. Ryan has also logged 128 innings in the pros and has pitched pretty well with a 3.87 ERA overall. Having another lefty out of the bullpen would be nice for Joe Maddon to mix and match, plus it would give the Cubs an unheard of four lefties out of the bullpen. Sunday 10) Crown Him Your Leadoff Hitter. Joe Maddon crowned Ian Happ the leadoff hitter on Opening Day. It is clear Happ wanted that role and he did not let his opportunity slip this spring. 11) The Professor Has Called Class Into Session. Kyle Hendricks was very solid in his final tune-up before the regular season. Needless to say, I am so excited to watch this pitching staff overall. 12) One More Appearance. Joe Maddon wants to see one more relief appearance from Pedro Strop before he puts him on the 25 man roster. This is precautionary, but Strop looks ready. 13) The Cubs Say Bye To Beautiful Arizona and Sloan Park. The Cubs are officially done with baseball in Arizona this spring as they head to Florida to take on the Boston Red Sox for two exhibition games. 14) Everybody In. Cub Fans: WE GET MEANINGFUL BASEBALL THIS WEEK. HAPPY BASEBALL SEASON. We now have meaningful games until November. By: Ryan Melson (@RyanMelson1)
“It’s The Cubs League” will come out on Saturday’s and will focus on the weekly news, notes, and highlights from the week. Monday 1) Mr. Cub. Jon Lester appears to be ready for the regular season. In his final tune-up before the regular season, Lester pitched six and two-thirds innings and allowed three runs. This spring, Lester has looked like the ace that has dominated MLB hitters since he came into the league. Since being a Cub, Lester has been nothing short of spectacular. It appears that Lester is right on track to have another dominant season. 2) Addy Clutch. Addison Russell continues to be an RBI machine. This is one of the most encouraging signs of the spring. Addison is healthy and it is already paying off. 3) The Great Schwarbino’s Discipline. Pay attention to the way Kyle Schwarber is handling his at-bats. He is hitting for a high average, he is hitting opposite field homers, and he is dialed in at the plate. Out of everything he has done well this spring, the one thing that sticks out to me is Schwarber’s plate discipline. In 51 plate appearances, Schwarber has walked eight times. His 6.4% walk rate is impressive because he is also hitting for power and average. If Schwarber gets to Bryant or Rizzo’s caliber of hitting this season (which he can), then the Cubs will be scoring a ton of runs. Tuesday 4) Off Day. The Cubs had an off day today. Wednesday 5) Yu Don’t Know What Yu Lost. Yu Darvish dominated his former team on Wednesday. Pitching six innings, Darvish allowed three hits, gave up one run, and struck out seven. Darvish’s command was particularly sharp. USA Today writer Bob Nightengale picked Darvish to be the NL Cy Young winner. As is the case with every Cub fan, I am all on board for Nightengale’s prediction to come true. 6) KB Stands For King of Baseball. Kris Bryant hit his first homerun of the spring in support of Darvish. While it is surprising this is Bryant’s first homerun of the spring, it was a mammoth shot to left center field that we are accustomed to seeing from the superstar. His lack of home runs this spring can be explained, though. Bryant has been focused on going to the other field more. Bryant can hit homeruns with the best players in the baseball, so this is not something he needs to aim for during spring games. Bryant is trying to become a more well rounded hitter, and it looks like that is going to happen for the former MVP. Plus, Kris is waiting to drop 50 homeruns during the regular season and doesn’t want to use them in spring training. 7) The Great Schwarbino’s Power. Kyle Schwarber launched his fourth homerun this spring on Wednesday. Schwarber’s homerun was unique because it was another opposite field long ball. Schwarber is covering the entire strike zone with his swing and he is making hard contact frequently. At this time last year, Schwarber was trying to pull the ball frequently, which contributed to his slow start to the season. 8) Cishek Closing. In his career, Pat Cishek has been a staple of consistency. This has been no different this spring with Cishek posting a 2.16 ERA. If the Cubs ever need someone to close out games for whatever reason Marrow cannot, look for Cishek to be relied on. 9) Carl’s Jr. Carl Edwards Jr. has also put together another nice spring. Carl is one of my favorite Cubs as he is such an easy person to root for, his stuff is filthy, and he has the best bullpen celebrations. 10) Relay Throw. Schwarber to Baez to Contreras. Not your ideal track team relay, but it is your ideal relay to throw opposing players out at home plate. This highlight is something that will bring a smile to your face. Thursday 11) Q Stands For Quality. Jose Quintana pitched another six solid innings against the San Francisco Giants. Q continues to churn out quality starts. In all of his years with the White Sox, Q was the most consistent pitcher at delivering quality starts. I cannot wait to see 32 of them in a Cubs uniform this year. 12) Willson’s Power. In 36 plate appearances this spring, Willson Contreras has four homeruns and three doubles. The ball may carry better in Arizona, but Willson’s strength is consistently on display. Willson is only projected to hit twenty homeruns this coming season, but I would take the over on that every single day with what he has shown in the past and what he continues to show in the present. 13) Strop’s Return. Pedro Strop made his spring debut and looked very sharp. I was worried Strop would be on the disabled list to start the season, but it looks like he is ready to go. 14) Bullpen Update. A reliever who has made an impression on the Cubs this spring is Anthony Bass. Bass was a former fifth round draft pick of the San Diego Padres back in 2008. Bass has had a ton of major league experience, but he has not pitched particularly well since 2011. This spring, Bass has posted a 1.59 ERA and it looks like he has a chance to make the team next week. 15) Bullpen Update Pt. 2. Randy Rosario has really struggled of late. Rosario had a very good shot of making this team, but his last few outing have been rough to say the least. The best part about Rosario is that the Cubs can outright him to Iowa to develop more. Look for Rosario to be called up at some point during 2018. Friday 16) Leading Off Happ-ily In 2018. Your unquestioned leadoff hitter to begin the 2018 season is Ian Happ. Happ launched another leadoff homerun, his sixth of the spring. I vote that Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Urena should groove a fastball right down the middle to open the season next Thursday against Happ. 17) Fear The Beard Is Back. While he was a little wild again on Friday, Tyler Chatwood pitched another solid outing. Over five and two-thirds innings, Chatwood allowed two earned runs on six hits. If Chatwood can deliver that consistency for the Cubs this season, he will easily out perform his contract. 18) Tommy La Stella Loses The Prank War. Do yourself a favor and see the prank video that Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer put out in response to La Stella’s spring pranks. Anthony Rizzo narrates the hilarious video, so go and check that out immediately. 19) Wildcard For The Bullpen. Justin Hancock is another reliever who has sparkled this spring. Similar to Anthony Bass, Hancock is another former San Diego Padres prospect. Hancock has had a lengthy and decent overall minor league career. I have to wonder if Hancock is in serious contention for the last bullpen spot because of his spring. There has been no clear cut front runner for the last bullpen spot, so Hancock is in contention. 20) Cubs Release Bourjos. There was chatter over the past week that the Cubs were going to try and find a way to keep Peter Bourjos on the 25 man roster. That made zero sense because he would get zero playing time with the position players we have, and it is more important to have eight relievers at the beginning of the season anyway. News is now coming out that Bourjos will be released by the Cubs. This makes perfect sense, as the Cubs could not keep him. Bourjos will likely find another major league team, and we wish him the best of luck. 21) MVP Freeman. As the leader of the Mike Freeman fan club, I am trying to figure out travel plans for his MVP ceremony once games end in Arizona. Mike Freeman hit another double and his average is .408 this spring. Crown the man MVP. By: Ryan Melson (@RyanMelson1)
Here are the quick highlights from the weekend in Cubs land. The Cubs had a lot of action over the weekend with half of the team in Las Vegas and half of the team at Sloan Park. Saturday Las Vegas Crew 1) Q Looks Ready For The Regular Season. In Vegas, Jose Quintana showed why he has been one of the best and most consistent pitchers in all of baseball over the past four years. Quintana threw six marvelous innings, allowing one hit, and striking out eight. I think Q is ready for the regular season to start. 2) Addy Muscle. Just as I mentioned yesterday, Addison Russell hits homeruns in bunches. He hit his second homerun of the spring on Saturday and he is really looking comfortable at the plate. Addy collected three hits in all in this game. It would be fantastic to see Addy take the next step like Xander Bogaerts did in Boston with Chili Davis. 3) Hey Hey, J-Hey. Jason Heyward also was looking comfortable at the plate by driving in a run on two hits. 4) Power-man. Jacob Hannemann was an absolute monster Saturday in Vegas. Hannemann hit a homerun in his first at bat, and just missed hitting two more. Hannemann collected three hits on the day. This was a very encouraging day at the plate for the young lefty. Lets hope that the Chili Davis effect is already working. 5) More Hitting Prospects. Mark Zagunis and David Bote both had really nice days at the plate. Both of these prospects are very good, but there is unfortunately no spots on the major league roster for them right now. 6) Last Bullpen Spot. Randy Rosario struggled in his relief appearance in Vegas. Rosario is battling Eddie Butler for the last bullpen spot. Sloan Park Crew 7) El Mago Returns. Javier Baez is back and feeling good. While the Cubs and Javy claimed his hamstring was fine, it was good to see him back out on the field to prove that claim was true. 8) The Great Schwarbino. Kyle Schwarber is zoned in at the plate. He collected two more hits (a double and a triple) on Saturday. With the spring he is having, I am fully on board with Schwarber’s declaration that he wants to win the MVP. 9) Eddie Money. Eddie Butler had a mixed start. He looked really good the first three innings, but the wheels came off in the fourth inning. Butler lost his command and wound up allowing three runs in the fourth. 10) Solid Bullpen Outings. Pat Cishek and Justin Wilson both threw nice, crisp innings out of the bullpen. 11) Farrell The Strikeout Machine. Luke Farrell also threw three really good innings. Farrell struck out 7 and only allowed one run. While he struggled early in the spring, Farrell has really pitched well of late. Sunday Las Vegas Crew 12) Court Is In Session. Illinois native Ryan Court continues to mash the baseball. Court hit his fourth homerun of the spring, while maintaining a .395 batting average. I have a feeling this kid is going to sign with someone else when he does not make the Cubs twenty-five man roster and have a really solid season. I will still lead his fan club when he does this. 13) Keep An Eye On Mills. While they have already optioned him to Triple A, Alec Mills has been extremely impressive. Mills pitched three innings, allowed one hit, and he allowed zero runs. Mills ERA this spring is now down to 1.74. I have been very impressed with Mills and he could be a pitcher that gets the first call-up from Triple A this season. Sloan Park Crew 14) Mi Friend, Willson. Do yourself a favor and go watch Willson Contreras hit a homerun that is still travelling in the galaxy. Willson hit his fourth homerun of the spring and is another player that could be in MVP contention if he can stay healthy. I am expecting a massive season out of Willson this year. 15) The Great Schwarbino Pt. 2. Kyle Schwarber continues to show that his offseason changes have brought him back to the player that we all fell in love with. Schwarber collected another hit today, while drawing two walks. Schwarber is quietly hitting .378 this spring. 16) Chatwood’s Mixed Start. Tyler Chatwood struggled a little bit today. This is his first blemish in a Cub uniform, but it truly was not a terrible start. Chatwood uncharacteristically walked three batters and allowed seven hits. However, he only let up four earned runs over five innings. Chatwood also struck out six batters, which continues to be a pleasant part of what he has done this spring that is different from his past seasons. With the Cubs offense as high octane as it is, I am perfectly fine with these starts from Chatwood. He will have the opportunity to win a lot of ball games if he allows four or less runs. 17) Let’s Just Forget. Justin Wilson and Mike Montgomery both had performances wee are going to just forget about and never mention again. 18) Grimm To The Royals. Justin Grimm was employed quickly after hitting the market. Grimm signed with the Kansas City Royals and we wish him the best of luck. By: Ryan Melson (@RyanMelson1)
“It’s The Cubs League” will come out on Saturday’s and will focus on the weekly news, notes, and highlights from the week. Monday 1) Off Day. The Cubs had the day off on Monday as they were gearing up for a double header on Tuesday. Tuesday 2) Willy Is Flexing. In a split squad, the Cubs big guns came to hit against the Padres. Leading the pack was Willson Contreras. Willson hit a moon shot to centerfield and he continues to flash power that is rarely seen from a catcher. Before the injury last season, Willson looked like he was going to get close to 30 homeruns, if not 30 plus homeruns. Getting a full season out of Willson will be crucial to see how much his power can develop. 3) Centerfield Battle Update. Albert Almora Jr. laced a few hits out of the leadoff role. While he struggled early on this spring, Almora is getting back to his normal hitting ways. 4) The Utility Pitcher. Mike Montgomery started this game against the Padres and provided a solid outing. Montgomery pitched three and two-thirds innings and allowed two runs. I think Montogmery would be a solid starter, but I do believe his main value is out of the bullpen. Starting pitchers have a much higher pay scale than relief pitchers, so I see why Montgomery wants to start. However, he will likely not get that chance with the Cubs. 5) Happ’s Growth. In the nightcap against the Giants, it took no time before Ian Happ ripped his fifth homerun of the spring, and second this spring off Madison Bumgarner to lead off the game. Happ continues to flourish in the leadoff role this spring. He has also showed a balance of power between the left and right side, as he has hit two homers from the left side and three from the right side. Happ has found a home in the leadoff role. He is also seizing on every opportunity he gets to be in that role. 6) Budding Ace? Happ has been incredible this spring, but another Cub may have had the best spring so far. Tyle Chatwood continues to look the role of a budding ace. Chatwood pitched five innings against the Giants, he allowed one hit, and struck out nine. Chatwood has never been known as a strikeout pitcher, but he has always had the stuff to be a strikeout pitcher. Chatwood’s ERA this spring is 0.82. While spring training ERA has no bearing on what his regular season ERA will be, it is more than encouraging to see Chatwood dominate. Call me the leader of the Chatwood pack, but I think he will leave people stunned at how good he really is. 7) The Super Bullpen. Brian Duensing, Brandon Marrow, and Carl Edwards Jr. each pitched a scoreless inning of work. Seeing that pen in action makes me realize even more so just how deep and talented the Cubs bullpen actually is. On any given day, you could have a different combinations of relievers, and that is getting me more excited than it should. 8) Addy Muscle. Addison Russell hit his first homerun of the spring. This makes me wonder: what is Addison’s ceiling for homeruns? At times, Addison hits homeruns effortlessly. When he is hitting homeruns, they generally come in bunches. Here is to hoping that he has a lot of those bunches of homeruns this coming season. Wednesday 9) Court Is In Session. Ryan Court, the Elgin native and Illinois State University product, has put together a spectacular spring. Court seems willing to play any position to show his versatility and have the possibility of making this team. Court has put together a banner spring with his slash line looking like video game numbers .400/.488/1.231. Court has also hit three home runs, scored eleven times, and stolen five bases. Court is 29 years old and hoping to get a final roster spot with his hometown team. While it is unlikely he will make this team because the amount of talent, Court could have a chance if the Cubs decide to carry one less bullpen arm. With that being said, Court could easily make the roster of other big league clubs with what he has shown this spring. Teams have to be taking notice of his versatility in the field and his hitting ability. 10) Happ’s Continued Success. As the sample size gets bigger, Ian Happ continues to thrive in the leadoff position this spring. Happ’s OBP is now .459. He has displayed a patient approach at the plate and this is to go along with his well-known power. These are the reasons why Ian Happ will leading off on March 29th in Miami. 11) Diamond In The Rough. I am not trying to get too excited about this because it’s spring training (I am actually beaming ear to ear about this), but Randy Rosario looks like he is another diamond in the rough that Theo Epstein found. Rosario threw two more scoreless innings out of relief. Rosario has posted a 0.00 ERA in 6.1 innings this spring. 12) Pitching Depth. Alec Mills continues to show he is an under the radar pitcher. On Wednesday, Mills started the game against his former Royals team, threw two scoreless innings, and allowed one hit. 13) Potential Disabled List Stint. Pedro Strop has yet to pitch this spring. Strop could be placed on the disabled list to begin the season with a calf injury. Strop said he feels great and expects to play next week. This is something to keep an eye on because it could open up another bullpen spot to begin the season. Strop is a valuable pitcher out of the bullpen and the Cubs are making sure his injury does not linger. Thursday 14) Quiet Folks, Class Is In Session. Kyle Hendricks looked like he was in mid-season form on Thursday. Hendricks pitched six innings, allowed three hits, one run, and had seven strikeouts. Kyle is doing Kyle things and you should be very excited. 15) Grimm’s Release. The Cubs released Justin Grimm. After getting injured early in 2016, Grimm could never recapture his brilliance in 2015. Grimm’s stuff is good overall, but his struggles with his command have haunted him. Grimm will get another opportunity elsewhere and we wish the 2016 World Series Champ the best of luck. 16) What Grimm’s Release Means. At this point, it looks like either Eddie Butler or Randy Rosario will get the last bullpen spot. Butler has put together a solid spring with a 2.70 ERA. However, Butler does not have any more options to be sent back to the minor leagues. If Butler does not make the big league club, he will likely be picked up by another team. On the other hand, Rosario does have options left. Rosario has had the better spring out of the two, though. Rosario is also left handed. Keep an eye on each of these two the rest of spring training. 17) Hey Hey, J-Hey. Jason Heyward cranked his first homerun of the spring. I am truly hoping Heyward has an offensive season that is more in line with his career numbers before he joined the Cubs. If the Cubs could get that Heyward on this team, the lineup will be feared from top to bottom. 18) In Need Of Feel Good Stats This Spring? Kris Bryant is hitting .318, Anthony Rizzo is hitting .300, Kyle Schwarber is hitting .333, Willson Contreras is hitting .333, and Addison Russell is hitting .320. This core is quietly putting together a really solid spring. Friday 19) Yu Still Can’t Touch This. Yu Darvish was marvelous on Friday, making me drool even more to see him dominating in a Cubs uniform. Darvish threw five innings, allowed three hits, and one earned run. Darvish also hit 98 MPH on the radar gun. Darvish said he thinks the radar guns are broken. Even if he is right, his velocity is very encouraging and gets me even more excited for this spring. 20) Going Deep: Willson Style. Willson Contreras went deep for his third homerun this spring. Can anyone say someone is “en fuego?” 21) Spring Training MVP. Mike Freeman continues to do Mike Freeman things. On Friday, Freeman collected another two hits, one of them being his second homerun of the spring. Freeman is hitting .459 and his OPS is a scorching 1.215. Yes, I am the leader of the Freeman fan club and anyone is welcome to join. 22) Something To Keep An Eye On. With the Cubs releasing Justin Grimm, they saved another $2 million dollars on the 2018 payroll. This gives the Cubs roughly $14 million under the luxury tax threshold. The Cubs do not want to go over the luxury tax because of the penalty implications. The Cubs also want to maintain some of that $14 million for in season needs as they arise. However, out of that $14 million, $7 or $8 million could be available for a certain free agent closer named Greg Holland. Now, the Cubs do not have a need in the bullpen and this would be a dramatic pay decrease for what Holland had originally anticipated his market to be to start the season. But if you are not going to get anything better than that on the market, why not come rehabilitate your value on a team who will have massive national spotlight all season? Additionally, pitching at Wrigley Field instead of Coors Field would be a major benefit for Holland. Holland would also have the Cubs defense behind him. Holland could sign a one-year, prove it deal to cash in big time next off-season. This would be a gamble for Holland, but there are a lot of factors in Holland’s favor that could position him nicely for next offseason. 23) Fan Clubs. Life has been busy for me, but I am now hosting two fan clubs: Mike Freeman and Ryan Court. How can you not root on Ryan Court? His story is incredible and you should go read Chicago Cubs beat reporter Carrie Muskat’s story to learn more. (https://www.mlb.com/cubs/news/cubs-ryan-court-trying-to-live-out-dream/c-268786020?tcid=tw_article_268786020) By: Ryan Melson (@RyanMelson1)
Here are the quick highlights from the weekend in Cubs land. 1) Get Out To Arizona For Spring Training. Before getting to the Cubs weekend, I wanted to mention how special the Cactus League is for those who have not been out to Arizona or have not been in a long time. If you love baseball, you must come out here to Arizona for Spring Training. There is an endless stream of baseball to be watched. All of the stadiums are in close driving distance to one another, making travel easy. Oh, did I mention the weather is always perfect, too? Friday 2) Jonny Ballgame. Jon Lester dazzled on Friday against the Los Angeles Angels. Over five innings, Lester allowed three hits, zero walks, and he had three strikeouts. Seeing Lester dominate like this in spring training gives you an early view of what his 2018 season may look like. Lester looks to be on a mission to have a major comeback in 2018. 3) The Great Schwarbino. We have all heard about and seen how Kyle Schwarber has transformed his body this offseason through rigorous training and through his diet. With his changed physique, Schwarber is still crushing homeruns like the guy we know and love. He hit his second homerun of the spring against the Angels on Friday. 4) Centerfield Battle. Albert Almora Jr. hit another double early in the game against the Angels. We have an old-fashion showdown in centerfield, folks. 5) De La Cruzin’. Oscar De La Cruz continues to impress. Through four innings this spring, De La Cruz has sparkled. Keep De La Cruz in your mind throughout this season and keep tabs on him to see his progress in the minor leagues. If he can stay healthy, De La Cruz projects to be a September call-up. 6) MVP Mike Freeman. My Cactus League MVP, Mike Freeman, produced two more hits today. My Freeman shersey is in the mail. Saturday 7) The Professor. Against the White Sox, Kyle Hendricks looked very solid. Hendricks struck out seven over four innings. Because of his pitch count, Joe Maddon had to pull Hendricks out after he started the fifth inning. Hendricks appears to be in mid-season form with the nastiness of his pitches in full-swing, making professional hitters confused. 8) King Eloy. On a breaking ball away against the team he signed his first professional contract with, Eloy Jimenez hit an opposite field homerun. Yes, a lot of people are going to be sad that Eloy Jimenez will not be a Cub when he is a perennial All-Start and he is in MVP contention (as long as Mike Trout is in the AL, I am not sure if anyone else has a chance of winning an MVP). However, Jose Quintana was worth the price it took for the Cubs to land him. Do not sleep on how good Quintana will be this coming year and into the future. With that being said, I will always be a fan of and root for Eloy Jimenez. 9) Catching Update. Vic Caratini provided some pop from the left side against the White Sox with a homerun to right centerfield. If Caratini would have started the spring like that, then we may have had competition behind the plate. At this point, the back-up catching position is Gimenez’s spot to lose. Sunday 10) The Great Schwarbino Alert Part 2. Kyle Schwarber cranked another homerun in the first inning on Sunday. Focus in on Schwarber this season because he is very serious about winning the MVP and his play is showing it this spring. 11) Yu Are Ready For The Regular Season. Yu Darvish was solid on Sunday. Darvish said he is right where he needs to be at this point in spring training. I cannot wait until Darvish is throwing meaningful games and striking out every batter in sight. 12) Arrieta Is A Philadelphia Philly. Jake Arrieta signed with the Philadelphia Phillies. As many of us would agree, the Cubs handled this situation brilliantly. They offered him the same amount of money they signed Yu Darvish for and Arrieta rejected it. In good faith, the Cubs extended this offer to Arrieta, but he always thought he could get more than this deal. Arrieta was always betting on himself throughout this process and wound up taking a deal that was nowhere close to the original $200 million he was looking for. 13) Arrieta’s Significance on the Cubs. Jake Arrieta will always be a Cub. Without him, the Cubs are not as good as they have been over the last three seasons. Arrieta’s contributions will live forever in Cubs history. When I think of the Cubs, I think of Jake Arrieta. He helped foster a winning baseball environment on Clark and Addison. Cub fans know what Arrieta has done, what he has meant to this team, and how you knew you could rely on him to get you that big win. We will always stand and applaud you, Jake. 14) El Mago Update. Javier Baez said he is “110%” with his hamstring. All is good on the Javy front and he will be back in action this week. 15) More Than Yu’s Personal Catcher. Chris Gimenez hit his first homerun of the spring on Sunday, while catching his former batter mate. Gimenez has truly impressed me this spring. 16) Odd Man Out. At this point, it is inevitable that the Cubs are going to have to part ways with Justin Grimm. Grimm struggled yet again on Sunday, allowing two more earned runs on a homerun. Grimm’s spring ERA is up to 9.00. By: Ryan Melson (@RyanMelson1) “It’s The Cubs League” will come out on Saturday’s and will focus on the weekly news, notes, and highlights from the week. **DUE to me travelling to Mesa for Cubs Baseball today, “It’s The Cubs League” needed to come out a day early, but Friday’s baseball action will come out in the Weekend Recap on Sunday Night.** Monday 1) What Superhero Would Ian Happ Be? I do not think the Avengers could stop Ian Happ from the wrath he is going to inflict on pitchers this year. On Monday, Happ hit his fourth homerun of the spring. The majestic, 432 foot homerun travelled a sizzling 108.9 miles per hour off of the bat. But that was not his hardest hit ball in that game. His double went 109.5 miles per hour. Happ is flashing back to his college days at the University of Cincinnati, making wood bats look like aluminum bats. 2) Mind-Boggling Numbers. After Monday’s game, Happ has a 1.794 OPS. Let that sink in. Yeah, I think it is safe to say he wants to be an everyday player. 3) Our Captain. Rizzo continues to be Rizzo by hitting another homerun. You always be our Captain, Rizz. 4) Bryce Harper Free Agency Update. Bryce Harper’s Instagram is full of love for Wrigley (well, his dog Wrigley, but one can only hope that he loves Wrigley Field, too). With that being said, we love you in Chicago, Bryce. 5) Holland Rumors. I think the Cubs are done making additions, but Jim Bowden mentioned the possibility of the Cubs adding Greg Holland if his price continues to plummet. In his article for The Athletic, Bowden said, “I would never bet against Theo Epstein doing the unexpected and landing Holland.” If this actually happens, our starting pitchers only have to get through the fifth inning because our bullpen would be absurdly good. 6) Oscar Watch. Oscar De La Cruz continues to dazzle at the end of games. He struck two more out in the ninth inning to close out the game for the Cubs. De La Cruz has had a very strong spring training showing and could be one of the first arms called up from Triple A. Tuesday 7) Yu Mean Everything To Us. Yu Darvish’s stuff is nasty. Darvish needed to shake the rust off after he walked two people early in the game and was a little erratic with his control. Darvish quickly settled in after that. Darvish struck out the side out in the first inning, and added another strikeout in the second inning. Darvish’s modus operandi is to make batters look foolish by striking them out on an arsenal of nasty pitches. Never stop doing this against the Dodgers, Yu. 8) Morrow Debut. Brandon Marrow made his debut and looked decent. As long as Marrow stays healthy, the Cubs will be in really good shape in the ninth inning of ball games. 9) 3 AM Tommy’s Prank War. Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer definitely have VIP parking at any facility in the Cubs organization. Patrick Mooney of The Athletic told a fun story of Tommy La Stella stealing their parking spaces. Epstein never mentioned anything about La Stella taking the spot, but Hoyer responded by putting a striped polo shirt and a pair of his khakis in La Stella’s locker for La Stella to wear during Monday’s workout at Sloan Park. La Stella did wear them out to the field. If this isn’t another reason to love this organization, then I do not know what is? 10) Centerfield Competition Is Back. Albert Almora Jr. started the spring off slow, but we knew he would bounce back in a big way. Against the Dodgers, Almora crushed a first inning homerun. He could not let his own bat outdo him in the field, though. Almora made one of the most beautiful over the shoulder diving catches you will ever see, even though this seems to be routine for him. 11) Mr. Clutch. When Addison Russell drives in runs, this Cubs offense seems unstoppable. Russell kept the first inning going when he drove in a run with a single. Addison delivered an endless amount of clutch RBI’s in 2016 when he drove in 95 runs. If that Addison returns to Wrigley this year, this offense might be unstoppable. 12) Randy Is Lights Out. Randy Rosario continues to impress. It is likely Rosario will start out at Triple A, but he has yet to allow a run this spring and had another good outing against the Dodgers. We can only hope that Theo found another hidden gem in the left handed reliever. Wednesday 13) Centerfield Competition Is Heating Up. Albert Almora Jr. has awoken. He hit his second mammoth homerun in his last two starts. Folks, we have a good ole fashion showdown for a starting position between two young, budding superstars. 14) The Schwarbino. Kyle Schwarber has quietly put together a very nice spring. He launched his first homerun this spring on Wednesday, but he is really having some nice at bats. I am really looking forward to his breakout year. 15) Bye-Bye Bauer. The Cubs cranked on Trevor Bauer for eight runs, seven of them were earned runs. Bauer is a solid pitcher who would be an asset in any rotation. However, it feels so good to see the Cubs crushing him. 16) Happy News. Ian Happ had his second stolen base of the spring. While he hasn’t had many chances to steal second base this spring, mainly because he has hit countless doubles and homers, Happ is showing that he could make an impact running the bases. If Joe Maddon gives Happ the green light, he could have 25 to 30 steals in a season. 17) Back-Up Catcher. Vic Caratini has really had a quiet spring, but Chris Gimenez has not. Gimenez has posted an OPS of .849, while driving in eight runs. Gimenez can frame pitches well, he calls pitches well, and is a very solid defender in general. He can also provide a nice veteran option behind the plate. At this point, I would give the nod to Gimenez, while keeping Caratini at Triple A. Caratini has a bright future ahead of him and will get his time next season. 18) Marrow On Darvish. I think we are all going to love Brandow Marrow on the field, but I already like him off of the field. This is what Marrow had to say about Yu Darvish’s struggles in the World Series last year: “You want to come back and show ‘em you got it and shove it up their ass. I’m sure he’s used that as motivation. I’m sure he’s able to pull from six great years in the major leagues. Two outings in the World Series isn’t going to change his mentality.” 19) Future Closing Option. Dillon Maples finally did what Dillion Maples does. Maples pitched one inning and struck-out three. Maples will need more time in Triple A refining himself after he started out rough this spring. Once he is able to get a little more fine tuning, he is going to be so fun to watch at Wrigley with his wipeout pitches. 20) September Call-Up. I have been very impressed with Duane Underwood Jr. this spring, and that is encouraging. Underwood Jr. is a former second round pick, who flashed major potential for the Cubs in 2014 and 2015. I thought Underwood Jr. was on the fast track for the pros. Instead, Underwood struggled with the Double A Tennessee Smokies in 2016, posting a 4.91 ERA in 58.2 innings. To go along with command issues, Underwood was getting hit hard. I was hoping that 2017 would be Underwood’s bounce back year, but once again he was hit hard at Double A. Underwood quickly became an afterthought, but he is making a strong impression this spring out of the bullpen. He will likely start the season at Triple A as a starting pitcher, so it will be something worthwhile to keep an eye on. Thursday 21) Better than Hammel As A Fifth Starter? At times on Thursday, Tyler Chatwood was a little erratic, but he did not stay that way for long. Chatwood pitched a very solid three innings. The expectations of Chatwood are so low because of the other four starting pitchers in the rotation, but Chatwood has the ability to better than Jason Hammel was in 2016 for the Cubs. In 2016, Hammel went 15-10 with a 3.83 ERA as the fifth starter. Health has been a concern for Chatwood in the past, but, if that is not a worry this year, I expect him to have better numbers than Hammel did in 2016. 22) The Glue Of The Team. Addison Russell continues to have an impressive spring at the plate and in the field. The 24 year old shortstop seems to be refreshed heading into the season. Russell was instrumental to the Cubs unbelievable regular season and playoff success in 2016. Quietly, Russell is the glue to this team because of the nature of his position and his ability to drive in clutch runs. 23) Daily Ian Happ Update. Ian Happ hit a triple in Thursday’s game. At this point, is it safe to say Happ is good? 24) Justin Wilson’s Bounce-Back. Justin Wilson had another solid outing. Expect the Cubs to rely heavily on Justin Wilson and expect him to respond favorably in his walk year before free agency. 25) The Other Justin. Justin Grimm continues to show that his control is missing. Grimm continues to be unreliable this spring. 26) Non-Cubs News. Eric Hosmer received $144 million in guaranteed money from the San Diego Padres. His former teammate, Mike Moustakas received $6.5 million in guaranteed money on a one year deal to return to the Kansas City Royals. There are incentives in the contract that could allow the contract to max out at $22.7 million. Moustakas turned down a qualifying offer that would have guaranteed him to receive $17.4 million for the 2018 season. The lack of interest in Moustakas is somewhat surprising. However, waiting this long to sign with a team gives teams leverage to sign players at a fraction of the cost. Players want to play and make money to support their family. Moustakas was likely itching to play with the season creeping closer and he probably told his agent Scott Boras to make the deal happen. 27) Moustakas Implications On The Cubs. Moustakas likely provides an example for what the remaining free agents will receive in comparison to what they thought they would receive when the season began. Keep an eye out for the Cubs to continue to monitor Greg Holland because a deal with him could be so minimal that the Cubs could stay under the luxury tax, while also adding another very good reliever. 28) Headed To Sloan. I make my spring training debut at Sloan Park on Saturday. Wheels up. By; Ryan Melson (@RyanMelson1)
Here are the quick highlights from the weekend in Cubs land. I did not think it was possible, but the Cubs finally lost another game this spring with the loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks today. 1) Wizardry with the Glove. Javier Baez is ridiculous defensively. He flashed his leather again today, making a difficult play look easy. It will be very fun to see Addison Russell and Javier Baez up the middle for an entire season. 2) Budding star? On Saturday, Tyler Chatwood impressed yet again. I do not say this lightly: Chatwood is going to be really good in 2018, if he stays healthy. Chatwood pitched two beautiful innings on Saturday, and is poised to really surprise a lot of people. Leaving Coors Field was already going to benefit Chatwood, but pairing him with Jim Hickey and this Cubs defense will also be a major boost to a pitcher who has filthy pitches. 3) Lester update. Jon Lester started off a little rocky in the game today, but he bounced back in the third inning by striking out Paul Goldschmidt and Jake Lamb. His day was cut short in the third inning because he met his pitch count. 4) Throwing to First Base. Speaking of Lester, he was trying to re-create the 90’s Bulls with a signature Jordan-to-Pippen bounce pass today. While I appreciate the fact he wants to make the Bulls relevant again, I hope that his method of throwing to first base gets results. Lester said he “[doesn’t] care what it looks like...an out’s an out.” Style points do not win playoff games. Lester’s intensity and bounce pass to first is what will win us playoff games, folks. 5) Soothing Sounds of Pat & Ron. Music to my ears. Hearing Pat Hughes and Ron Coomer back in the booth yesterday and today made me even more happy baseball is back. 6) Leadoff Man. Jason Heyward is getting a shot in the leadoff hole. If Heyward can get back to his career hitting numbers before he was a Cub, then he would be a very nice fit as the leadoff man. Heyward is patient and he has speed, but you would like to see him make more hard contact and get his batting average and on-base percentage higher before you allow him to leadoff. 7) The bullpen. Justin Wilson pitched well once again in his outing on Saturday. That has to give Justin Wilson a lot of confidence early this spring. He is a special arm when he is on, and I cannot wait for Cub fans to see this from him in 2018. 8) Spring Training MVP. If the Cactus League does not crown Mike Freeman MVP of the spring right this moment, then I do not think they know baseball. Freeman had three hits on Saturday and is now hitting .588 on the spring. Freeman is the definition of GRIT. 9) Grimm Reaper Update. While he got through an inning without allowing a run, Justin Grimm was erratic once again today. He walked two in one inning. Grimm has not had the best showing this spring and that is quite unfortunate because getting a solid Grimm would have been a nice bonus for the Cubs. 10) Spring Debuts. Ben Zobrist is expected to play Tuesday. A healthy Zobrist would be very beneficial to the Cubs organization. The Cubs have been slow playing Zobrist’s sore back. Yu Darvish will get his first start on Tuesday. Everyone is looking forward to seeing that. 11) Pure Class. Since coming to the Cubs, Joe Maddon does his annual Respect Bald fundraiser in camp, which raises money for his Respect 90 Foundation. The Cubs raised at least $93,000 from this event over the weekend. This is yet another example of how selfless and giving the people in this organization are. Thank you for being you, Joe Maddon. 12) Sloan Park Is A Destination. Attendance at Sloan Park has been record breaking once again. On Saturday, there were 15,516 people at Sloan Park. This was the second largest crowd in Cactus league history, which was second to the Cubs at Sloan Park last season. Sloan Park is a really neat time, and it is definitely a destination people should go and check out as a family or with friends. I cannot wait to see you in a week, Sloan. 13) Maples Likely Head to Des Moines. Dillon Maples had another rough outing on Saturday. At this point, he is going to have to start the season at Triple A to work on his command. By: Ryan Melson (@RyanMelson1)
“It’s The Cubs League” will come out on Saturday’s and will focus on the weekly news, notes, and highlights from the week. The Cubs lost their first game of the spring against the Milwaukee Brewers, but since then they have not lost. The Cubs record is 5-1-2 and they may not lose against this spring. Let’s dig into what happened in the Cubs world this week. 1) Starting Rotation. Early in the week, Joe Maddon named the starting rotation. The order is as follows: Jon Lester, Kyle Hendricks, Yu Darvish, Jose Quintana, and Tyler Chatwood. This rotation is going to be phenomenal, and I cannot wait for the regular season to start so we can see these five in action. The reason I mentioned this was because I needed another excuse to say these names in order. 2) Homerun City. Ian Happ hit his third homerun of the spring this week. Two of the homeruns have come from the right side of the plate and the other has come from the left side. Happ is supposed to have more power from the left side, but it looks like pitchers are doomed no matter which side Happ hits from. 3) Free Agency. The free agent watch of former Cub Jake Arrieta is still ongoing. As the calendar flipped to March, Arrieta still remains unsigned. There were rumors a month ago that Arrieta could hold out the entire spring before he signs with a team. Arrieta’s market appears to be small at this point, and he is willing to wait until a team gets desperate enough to give him the money he is seeking. This will be interesting to see who budges first: Arrieta or the teams interested in him. 4) Over the hump? Former Cubs bench coach Dave Martinez brought camels to the Washington Nationals facilities in order to keep the environment loose. Martinez was trying to send the message to the Nationals that they can get over the hump. Martinez learned how to convey unique messages to his team from Joe Maddon, but lets hope he did not learn how to get the Nationals over the hump like Maddon did with the Cubs. 5) Hendricks A Future Opening Day Starter? A lot of chatter about how the Cubs have three pitchers in the starting rotation who started on opening day last year (Lester, Darvish, and Quintana). Joe Maddon said Kyle Hendricks will get his shot one day, but Hendricks could not care less about it. Hendricks said, “Let’s get another World Series. Who cares about the 1st game? I’ll take the last game. Always.” That comment makes me want October to get here. 6) An Elite Bullpen. Justin Wilson looked spectacular in his spring debut on Wednesday. Wilson struggled big time for the Cubs last year after he was traded from the Detroit Tigers. If Wilson can get back to his pre-Cubs success, then the bullpen will be frightening for opponents. 7) Centerfield Watch. Albert Almora Jr. still has not had a hit this spring. Almora will get his hits in at some point during this spring, but Ian Happ is the early favorite to be the starting centerfielder in Miami. 8) Injuries and Illness. Yu Darvish was scratched with the flu on Thursday. Kris Bryant is back after dealing with the flu. Pedro Strop has been sidelined with a sore left calf. Ben Zobrist continues to come along slowly from a sore back. 9) It’s Morrow Time. Brandon Marrow has not pitched yet this spring. He is a healthy scratch so far because the Cubs are trying to monitor the amount of innings he throws after he threw so much in the postseason last year. 10) Need another reason to smile? Drew Smyly said, “If I don’t [pitch for the Cubs in 2018], I’d be disappointed. I definitely plan on playing. I don’t know when it will be—definitely at the end of the year.” If you need reminding, Smyly is coming off of Tommy John surgery. The Cubs signed the lefty this offseason with expectation of a big 2019 season out of Smyly. The Cubs did not expect Smyly to pitch in 2018. In his career, Smyly has solely pitched in the American League and has posted a very respectable 3.74 ERA. Getting Smyly out of the bullpen in 2018 would be another reason to believe 2018 is the Cubs year. 11) On The Bubble. Oscar De La Cruz continues to shine early on in spring. De La Cruz is a 22 year old, solid pitching prospect who has been hampered by injuries. If De La Cruz can stay healthy, the Cubs have another very nice arm in Triple A. 12) More Than Yu’s Personal Catcher. Chris Gimenez continues to crush the baseball this spring. Gimenez has a .500 batting average this spring with 7 RBI’s. At this point, it looks like Gimenez has won the back-up catcher position. There is still a lot of spring left, so we will see if Caratini steps up. 13) More Development Needed. Dillon Maples struggled again on Tuesday. At this point, Maples may need more time in Triple A. 14) Grimm Continues to Struggle. Speaking of struggles, Justin Grimm had another bad relief appearance this week. If this trend continues, I could see Grimm not making this team. 15) The Cubs Fifth Starter. Tyler Chatwood was solid in his one inning debut. I think Chatwood is going to surprise many people this season, as he is quietly flying under the radar. 16) Hidden Gem. Randy Rosario continues to pitch well this spring. Rosario is a hard throwing left handed pitcher, who is only 23 years old. The Cubs may have found a gem in Rosario. 17) Your Weekly Eddie B. Update. Eddie Butler fared better out of the bullpen on Wednesday than he did in his first start this spring. Butler pitched two innings out of the pen, struck out two, and had no hits or walks allowed. 18) More Developmental Pitching. Luke Farrell was roughed up on Wednesday, but he still remains an intriguing developmental arm in Triple A. 19) The Forgotten Arm. While he does not get much attention, Alec Mills is putting together a very respectable spring. On Thursday, Mills pitched two innings, struck out three, and he allowed no hits. I am not sure there is a spot for Mills, but he is making it more difficult to overlook him. 20) Pure Grit. Crown Mike Freeman the batting champion of spring training. Freeman has a .500 batting average with a 1.348 OPS. MVP candidate in 2018? Not a chance, but you have to love the grit Freeman plays with. 21) Sad News. Former Cub Travis Wood tore his ACL on Thursday. Let’s hope that he has a speedy recovery and can get back to pitching next season. by Michael Howe @troughchicago Spring training is a special tradition in my family. My father worked for the Chicago Tribune for 42 years, and was given tickets to spring training games at HoHoKam Park as a retirement gift. That was the beginning of all this. The year was 1999 and the Cubs were coming off what is still one of my favorite years of Cubs baseball. We didn't have a superteam. It was more like a bunch of castoffs and misfits that somehow made it work. Rod Beck stared in with the waving arm. Grace squeezed the pop up and the Cubs were in the playoffs for the first time since 1989! The Cubbies wouldn't win a single game against the braves, despite an outstanding pitching performance from Kevin Tapani. So my father, my older brother, and I set off for the maiden voyage to Mesa in 1999. We were there to see the team's new acquisition, Jon Lieber. It would only be later that we would realize that Jim Hendry couldn't general manage his way out of a paper bag, but this was a good trade. At our first game at HoHoKam we watched the Cubbies pound "the South Side Pigs", as my brother fondly refers to them. Julio Zuleta clubbed a home run off the scoreboard, and a tradition was born. Almost 20 years later, the Cubs have a trophy, a tremendous new facility, and the super team that we had been wishing for since Leon Durham and the Gatorade on his glove broke our hearts in 1984. I've missed only one year since then. Players have come and gone. My father passed away in 2010, and one of my fondest last memories of him was our trip to Mesa that year. The tradition is alive. The valley changes a little, but come late February and March it all feels pretty familiar. What's there to say about a spring training baseball game on the last weekend in February? It means that the season isn't far away. It probably means that you're in shorts and flip flops, instead of long johns and snow boots (not this year, but a t shirt and jeans will do). It means you will have no idea who #96 playing shortstop is. Our first game at Sloan Park was pretty terrific. We saw Anthony Rizzo and Wilson Contreras go back-to-back. We saw Eddie Butler start a game, which we hope we don't see during the year because that means something's gone horribly wrong. But my favorite moment of the day was provided by this gentleman and his choice of headwear...... That's right folks, this guy felt the need to pull out the old "Titties 2" hat, a clever play on the Titlest 1 brand of golf balls. My friends and I marveled at the bravery and stupidity of this man. It's a pretty bold stance to take in public. I'm pretty sure that a #metoo moment happened sometime last weekend for him. I can only imagine the success rate he might have had chatting up a woman on the Sloan park lawn while wearing this hat. Game #2 was took us to Scottsdale Stadium to see the Cubs face an actual pitcher, Madison Bumgarner, and a formidible spring lineup including Andrew McCutchen, Evan Longoria, Buster Posey, and Hunter Pence. Jen Ho Tseng took the hill for the Cubs, and I hope I never write that sentence again this year. Mad Bum didn't fair too well, proving that spring training means jack shit to veteran pitchers. Ian Happ hit a home run and is starting to make me believe that he might actually stick in a center field platoon with Albert Almora. Beyond that, the game deteriorated into guys with no names on their jerseys and people with names like Chesny Young taking the field. Charcer Burks got a few at bats, and I guess he's some kind of prospect? He didn't really impress much. Pretty much nothing to see here, but I did get some sweet photos of new base coaches Brian Butterfield and Will Venable. After the game in Scottsdale we were headed for a special dinner at the one and only "Don and Charlie's". If you plan on going to Mesa, you will want to eat here. The ribs don't disappoint, and you might just run into a player or two. Many years ago, I met both Willy Mays and Muhammad Ali in the lobby on separate occasions. There are no pictures of the food or the restaurant, because I'm not a millennial turd that takes pictures of his food for other people to look at. Prior to the meal, we stopped by another must-see in the Scottsdale area, Gilligans. If you ever wondered what it would feel like to hit a trashy junior college bar in Arizona, then this is your place. The crown jewel of this paradise is a bar built for a midget bartender and the one and only "Wheel of Booze". Prior to the 2016 season, I wandered into Gilligans on a pretty dead Sunday evening to see our very own first baseman, Anthony Rizzo, spinning the wheel multiple times. A legend was born, and when I asked Rizzo if we were gonna win it all that year he replied "We better!". He did not play in the next day's game. It was back to Mesa and Sloan Park for our third and final game. Tyler Chatwood started for the Cubs, and looked pretty average. Again, as long as his arm is still attached to his body I don't really care about a veteran pitcher's results in spring training. We saw some drills before the game at the Cubs' monstrous practice facility. Here's Carl Edwards not giving up a home run to Bryce Harper. It's nice that the Cubs let their fans watch the team practice prior to the games, and I'm sure that even some adult man babies who wait around with sharpies get autographs from time-to-time. We made our way from the lawn... All the way down to "the queen's seats" (for you Naked Gun fans) of Sloan Park and watched the Cubs battle back to a triumphant tie! Taylor Davis was in the middle of the rally. He might be in the middle of the hotly contested back up catcher race with Chris Gimenez, who also saw a lot of at bats when we were there. Gimenez did convince the really good Japanese guy to come here, so he probably has the edge, sorry Taylor.
From a baseball perspective, there's not much to report. No one got hurt. Javy made some slick defensive plays. Ian Happ could be more of a factor this season. The backup catcher role is up for grabs maybe? Dillon Maples, who actually might be trying to win a bullpen spot, had shaky command in the only appearance I saw. The Cubs are going to be good this year. Chesny, Jen Ho, Charcer, and #75 will not be a part of it. But maybe they got some of the big league guys to buy some meals in Scottsdale. And I will leave you with a picture that is worth a thousand words. I mean seriously, how in the hell does this guy travel on a plane? |
Kyle MalzhanFounder who is an aspiring journalist who covers the Chicago Cubs daily. Archives
April 2020
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